3 - 9 May 2001

Fostering private, public partnerships

The Mosta Technopark recently launched the tenants’ association and a new administration building. A prime example of the private public
partnership concept, the chairman of the tenants association,
Henry J. Borg, told David Kelleher why the association was set up

Private, public partnership (PPP) is relatively new concept in Malta. Although it received mention in last November’s Budget, the idea of bringing in the private sector to run public affairs is still in its infancy.
This, however, has not stopped the tenants at the Mosta Technopark from joining forces to create one of Malta’s first PPPs. The change brought about with the help of the private sector has now enabled the park itself to be used as a marketing tool.
“The Mosta Technopark is living proof of a private, public partnership. The concept has been introduced successfully with the result that we are using the Technopark as an marketing tool to attract further business,” Mr Henry J. Borg, chairman of the Mosta Technopark Tenants Association (MTTA).
The MTTA was set up in October 2000 and held its first general meeting in December. In the space of four months, it has managed to turn the park into a facility that reflects professionalism and a sense of pride.
“We are the second tenants association in Malta after Bulebel. The only difference is that there has been unanimous agreement on the part of all the tenants, which is very important,” Mr Borg said.
After the Malta Development Corporation (MDC) had completed the initial design and construction work, and then began attracting the appropriate new tenants to the Mosta Technopark, the next logical step was to start working towards the setting up of a Tenants Association. It was, and still is, the government and MDC’s long-term strategy to establish and encourage such tenants associations in all of the industrial estates in Malta.
Mr Borg said the associations objectives are:
• To provide and achieve high environmental standards at Mosta Technopark;
• To ensure that all tenants keep the common areas and equipment at the Mosta Technopark in a good state at all times;
• To ensure that the facilities and infrastructure of the park continue to improve in the future;
• To liaise with the relevant authorities on any matter relating to Mosta Technopark;
• To take care and control the security of the Technopark.
To achieve these aims, the associations have entrusted a lot of work to the private sector.
“All tenants in the past used to pay a service charge to the MDC for the upkeep of the Park. Now these funds are directed towards the association which manages the funds itself. This makes it easier for the association to carry out any necessary work without having to go to the MDC every time,” Mr Borg said.
The level of autonomy given to the Mosta Technopark has seen some remarkable changes over the past four months.
The board has formulated a one-year business plan according to the above objectives, and calculated the service charge to be paid by all tenants.
“We have appointed Frank Gatt in January of this year as our park manager, with the objective to implement and manage the business plan. Mr Gatt’s experience on industrial estates is vast and we consider his services to be an asset to our association,” Mr Borg explained. He added that the association also started negotiations to establish and implement a security system at the Technopark.
“We are planning that in a few months’ time, we will have completed a comprehensive package of various CCTV cameras, card controlled gates, and all the systems will be manned on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week. We have also negotiated an agreement to have the Technopark’s landscaping needs maintained to a high level and improve where possible. Although it is still early, one can already appreciate the results so far. However, full maturity of these initiatives will be appreciated within a year. We have planned a very colourful and green environment to create a sense of peace and a pleasant environment for the benefit of us all including our tenants and customers,” Mr Borg said.
Actively making use of the private sector’s efficiency and expertise, the association has also streamlined and expanded the waste collection of service at the Technopark. An agreement was reached with a waste management company to organise waste collection service.
“The board feels that this project is not complete as our aim is to have all waste separated at source and reused or recycled as appropriate. We also have the services of a handyman on a full-time basis, provided by Kalaxlokk. We are very proud of his work,” he added.
The response from the tenants has been very positive and this has given the board the encouragment to pursue plans for the future.
“We are still at the beginning of a long and continuous process of initiatives. We are considering a range of possibilities such as achieving ISO9000 standards for the whole of the Technopark, providing a child care centre for our members and building and training core teams of people in first aid and fire fighting,” Mr Borg said.
The Association however wants to go even further and turn the park into a state-of-the-art research facility.
“Many of the tenants would be more than happy have research and development facilities in the park. Companies today are looking for these facilities and not only factory or office space,” he added.
There are 18 tenants from five countries at the Technopark and these employ between them 500 people.
“This figure is expected to increase to 700 through expansion. The administration building which was inaugurated recently houses our park manager’s office and the board room. It is our intention to provide this boardroom and any other space, free of charge to all of the tenants’ needs such as seminars, training rooms, and business meetings. An area is earmarked for the provision of a free counselling service to persons in need,” he added.
“Our tenants association is living proof that a partnership between private enterprise and public service can work in an efficient and business manner for the benefit of all concerned. We have obtained good results from various public entities and parastatal companies, the cooperative concerns like the agricultural cooperative and from private enterprises,” Mr Borg said.